Housing near Long Beach State is highest in the city

As Long Beach State welcomes thousands of students back to campus for another year of higher education, students may be looking to live closer to campus. Housing is the most expensive near the university, according to data from rent market trends website Rent Jungle. Seventy-five percent of students commute from home, according to the university’s 2016-2017 Common Data Set. Some students cite soaring rental rates in the city as the reason that they do not live closer to the university. Laura Leyva, a senior majoring in civil engineering, said that she’s looked into moving out of her parents’ house so she could focus more on school. However, the average price of a one-bedroom apartment in Long Beach is about $1,800. “I live with my parents, and I think that’s pretty much the only choice that people have that live in Long Beach,” Leyva said. “There’s just no place for us students, and it’s just not possible with a minimum wage job.” Rent Jungle data states that the most expensive places to rent are near the university, downtown and the Naples-Marina area. The average cost of renting near the school is $2,650 a month, whereas the average cost to rent elsewhere

By | 2018-09-09T17:36:43+00:00 Sep 9, 2018 | 5:32 pm|Categories: Campus, Long Beach, News, Showcase, Today|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Mayor presents plan for new dormitory space in downtown Long Beach

Long Beach is set to undergo a complete makeover in coming years, and Long Beach State students may directly benefit from the change of scenery. Mayor Robert Garcia presented the development plan “Building a Better Long Beach” at the Beverly O’Neill Theatre Tuesday morning. This was the second time they’ve offered this presentation to the community. The city is partnering with Long Beach State on developing a residential village, Garcia said. The project, deemed the "CSULB Downtown Village" has 1,100 proposed residential units, the most of any structure in the presentation. The proposed space for the village is on Long Beach Boulevard and Fourth Street, in the "heart of downtown." "If you want to add life to a downtown area, just dump in a bunch of students," Garcia said. "Students and grad students and faculty and teachers, and create a whole new experience." The dorm-style living space, which is currently proposed and under review, is also planned to include classrooms, labs, galleries and other student services. "We're very excited about this project," Garcia said. "We're totally committed and there's a lot of activity and movement." Of the 7,478 total residential units presented, 631, or 8.4 percent, were designated as “affordable”

By | 2018-08-29T23:21:29+00:00 Aug 29, 2018 | 10:37 pm|Categories: Events, Long Beach, News, Today|Tags: , , , , , |
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A new bus route and detours arrive to Long Beach State

In response to a much anticipated heavy traffic flow through Long Beach State for the first week of school, students, staff and faculty who use public transportation to get to Long Beach State will notice some changes to the bus route starting Monday. All routes currently serving the school will drop riders at various points off campus instead of traveling through it from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The 175 is a new bus which will join all existing routes that serve the university. This new route will only run on weekdays and hits all the same stops as the 171. The stops closest to campus for buses entering on Seventh Street is in front of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. For buses entering from Bellflower Boulevard, the closest stop is across the street from Beach Drive. Long Beach Transit buses will resume their normal routes beginning Sept. 3. Jeff Bliss, the university’s executive director of media and digital news, confirmed that campus shuttles will operate per their normal schedules during the first week. To get a TAP sticker for free rides on all Long Beach Transit buses, students must have a school ID card

By | 2018-08-26T18:53:00+00:00 Aug 26, 2018 | 6:51 pm|Categories: Long Beach, News, Today|Tags: , , , , |
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Alan Lowenthal uses town hall stage to repeat one message: ‘Vote in November’

If you ask Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, the only way that concerned voters can counter the policies of President Donald Trump is to vote Democrats into Congress this November. For two hours Monday night, about 600 people of all ages gathered in the Millikan High School auditorium  to ask the congressman questions about a variety of topics including immigration policies, environmental regulations, social security and healthcare. “I think elected officials always say this, but we’re really at a critical junction in our nation’s history,” Lowenthal said. “The soul of our nation is being tested.” The congressman then said that he wants a government to protect its natural resources and social security, ensure that everyone has healthcare and to have “rational” immigration policies. “If you don’t vote and you don’t tell people that you know and everybody [else] to vote, if you don’t understand that half of my district is Orange County and people are not involved in changing the House of Representatives... this nightmare will continue,” Lowenthal said. Throughout the event, Lowenthal told his constituents that the key to combating Trump’s actions  is to get a Democrat majority in both houses of Congress through voting. He repeated this sentiment

By | 2018-08-01T20:22:35+00:00 Aug 1, 2018 | 8:21 pm|Categories: Events, Long Beach, News, Showcase|
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Long Beach residents reveal the first ever People’s Budget Proposal

About forty residents gathered on Tuesday morning in front of City Hall to present and endorse the first ever “The People’s Budget Proposal” for the 2019 fiscal year. The budget proposal was authored by four local activist organizations: the Housing Habitability Coalition, the Invest in Youth Campaign, the Long Beach Language Access Coalition and the Sanctuary Long Beach Campaign. The groups requested that the Long Beach City Council approve a budget for 2019 which includes allocations addressing four areas: immigrant rights, language justice, safe housing and youth opportunities. A proposal for the city’s budget for the following year has not yet been revealed. “A budget is not merely a spreadsheet but [it is] a moral document that reflects our community’s values and our government’s commitment to the people,” said Jorge Rivera, program director with Long Beach Residents Empowered. “The People’s Budget Proposal is a reflection of the community’s passion and vision for a better community.” The People’s Budget asks that city officials include the following in their final budget: An allocation of $250,000 from the city’s general fund, meant for setting up a legal defense fund to help undocumented individuals find legal representation, which the city council approved in March.

By | 2018-07-19T12:31:59+00:00 Jul 19, 2018 | 12:30 pm|Categories: Long Beach, News, Showcase|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Mayor Garcia signs Long Beach adult-use cannabis ordinance into law

Friday the 13th was a lucky day for cannabis enthusiasts in Long Beach as Mayor Robert Garcia signed the highly anticipated adult-use marijuana ordinance into law. Garcia signed the act in his city hall office, flanked by a handful of city employees and representatives from the cannabis industry. “When I was on the council, this was one of the first issues that came up,” Garcia said. “I think you guys worked really hard and I think what's important is that the voters of Long Beach, on two different occasions, have affirmed that it's time to move on from this discussion and to have safe, regulated, taxed adult-use cannabis.” The ordinance, which was originally introduced at the Long Beach City Council’s June 19 meeting, sets rules for businesses wishing to sell recreational marijuana for those who are over 21. The approval of this ordinance means that the distribution of cannabis via licensed vendors, and its use, are legal. However it is still illegal to use while driving or in public. According to a staff report, August 2018 is the earliest that adult-use cannabis sales could begin. According to the item’s staff presentation, only existing medical dispensaries can apply for an adult-use

By | 2018-07-15T00:19:14+00:00 Jul 14, 2018 | 6:18 pm|Categories: Long Beach, News, Showcase|
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1,300 participate in local Families Belong Together rally

Long Beach residents took signs, slogans and spirit on Saturday to participate in a Families Belong Together rally which began at Cesar Chavez Park. The Families Belong Together events arose nationwide in response to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s separation of migrant children and parents after processing them into detention centers. Along with this, activists used the platform to speak on local issues such as the Long Beach Values Act of 2018 — the city’s sanctuary policy. According to Maribel Cruz, operations manager of the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition, at least 1,300 people attended the local rally. The downtown event was hosted by the LBIRC and Families Belong Together Long Beach. In March, the Long Beach City Council voted to adopt the Long Beach Values Act, which expands upon California’s Senate Bill No. 54. The state law prevents local and state law enforcement from disclosing citizenship status to immigration enforcement agencies, with certain exceptions. Under the city’s policy, all city employees are barred from sharing information about a person's citizenship status with ICE unless the individual has been convicted of crimes listed in the bill’s text. Local activists protested the inclusion of these crimes, or “carve-outs,” because they put

By | 2018-07-03T11:04:41+00:00 Jul 3, 2018 | 11:04 am|Categories: Events, Long Beach, News, Showcase|Tags: , , , , |
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WomenShelter of Long Beach to host health event to end abuse

In an effort to educate the community about domestic violence, WomenShelter of Long Beach will host its fourth annual Family Fun Day — and it includes a free lunch. The day will offer arts and crafts activities and presentations on how to identify abuse at the new Salvation Army building on 3000 Long Beach Blvd. June 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free parking and lunch will be provided. The purpose of the event is to help cultivate  healthy living environments for families, children and communities, according to the nonprofit organization in a press release. A primary goal of WomenShelter of Long Beach is to raise awareness about domestic violence. The organization provides violence prevention education and invites community members to learn how to live healthier lives through its event. "WomenShelter is all about helping our friends, neighbors and those seeking support," said executive director Mary Ellen Mitchell in a press release. "One of the ways we do this [is] with a day where everyone can access free services and connect with local service providers while having fun in the sun." Attendees can expect to learn about health screenings, financial literacy, nutrition tips and volunteer opportunities. WomenShelter staff will

By | 2018-06-15T21:11:32+00:00 Jun 15, 2018 | 9:08 pm|Categories: Events, Long Beach|
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